A firestorm erupts in Washington after House Speaker Mike Johnson publicly defends Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and the U.S. military following a classified congressional briefing on December 16, 2025. The closed-door session, led by Hegseth and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, detailed ongoing U.S. strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats operating near Venezuelan waters - including the highly controversial September 2 incident involving a reported “second strike” on survivors.
Johnson called the action “entirely appropriate” and “necessary to protect the United States and our interests,” echoing his earlier assessment after viewing classified video footage. Republicans have largely backed the operation, while Democrats are demanding transparency and the public release of unedited video evidence - a request the Pentagon has so far refused. As tensions grow, critics warn the operation could further inflame U.S.-Venezuela relations and raise serious questions about military conduct and accountability.
00:00The Trump administration, by the way, has been much more forthcoming with the legal rationale behind these strikes than prior administrations.
00:05President Obama conducted over 500 drone strikes, killing over 3,700 persons.
00:12The Department of War has now briefed Congress more than 20 times in bipartisan classified settings on these strikes.
00:19Secretary Rubio and Secretary Hegseth have briefed the Gang of Eight and the Gang of 16 as well.
00:23I've been in those briefings myself.
00:25The Department of War has shown video of the September 2nd strike to the Gang of Eight.
00:30Yeah, so we just received a briefing from the Secretary of War and the Secretary of State and our top military officials on the strikes against the narco-terrorists off the coast of Venezuela.
00:44Questions are still being answered by members, but I think the information that was provided was very helpful.
00:49It affirms what many of us have already known.
00:52And I'm going to share some thoughts with you about what was shared in there, but ultimately the big question about what authority supports all this.
01:00The President of the United States has directed these actions consistent with his responsibility.
01:06And that responsibility is clear to protect Americans and United States interests abroad
01:11and in furtherance of the United States' national security and foreign policy interests pursuant to his constitutional authority.
01:18He has that authority as commander-in-chief and as the chief executive to conduct foreign relations.
01:24As the commander-in-chief, President Trump has both the authority and the obligation to defend our homeland, and I think that's beyond dispute.
01:31Pursuant to this constitutional authority and the law of armed conflict,
01:36the President determined that the United States is in non-international armed conflict.
01:40That's N-I-A-C as the acronym is known, and that is with designated terrorist organizations and their affiliates
01:47who have evolved into complex structures with financial means and parliamentary capabilities needed to operate with impunity,
01:56engage in violence and terrorism.
01:58That presents a clear and present danger to the security of America and threaten other nations in our hemisphere.
02:03I want to make this point very clear.
02:06Over the last four years alone, America has lost more lives to drug overdoses and other drug-related deaths
02:12than we did to the enemy actions in World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Afghanistan, and Iraq combined.
02:19This is a serious problem that a serious administration is addressing.
02:24These are highly organized and sophisticated narco-terrorist organizations,
02:27and they operate, as we said, with impunity.
02:32And the President has determined that these cartels constitute the legally defined groups
02:39that allow us to take these actions.
02:41The Trump administration, by the way, has been much more forthcoming with the legal rationale behind these strikes
02:46than prior administrations.
02:47And I want to point out this one example.
02:50From 2009 to 2015, President Obama conducted over 500 drone strikes,
02:57killing over 3,700 persons, some of whom were United States citizens,
03:03and he never offered any legal justification to Congress at all.
03:07The Department of War has now briefed Congress more than 20 times
03:10in bipartisan classified settings on these strikes.
03:14Secretary Rubio and Secretary Hegseth have briefed the Gang of Eight and the Gang of Sixteen as well.
03:18I've been in those briefings myself.
03:20The administration has also made available multiple documents to the Hill,
03:24including the Office of Legal Counsel Opinion, which has been reviewed by over 150 members.
03:29The Department of War has shown video of the September 2nd strike to the Gang of Eight
03:34and leadership of the Armed Services and Defense Appropriations Committees.
03:38They'll be made available to all members of the Armed Services Committee this week.
03:42This is exquisite intelligence that supports these actions.
03:47It is certainly appropriate, and it's necessary to protect the United States in our interest.
03:51That's what was presented today.
03:53Different members have different questions.
03:54I hope and assume that all those are being answered.
03:56Thank you all for being here.
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